Hello everyone! At Week 5 of our Boys Over Flowers rewatch, we're getting deep into the story now. Jan Di and Jun Pyo's relationship is now official and has only just started to take off when they find themselves jumping over hurdle after hurdle. One of the biggest hurdles they face is the involvement of their family, namely Jun Pyo's "evil witch" of a mom, in their love life. Join Tiara and me (Logan) as we talk about how our characters are navigating the various family drama that comes their way.

COMING SOON

Boys Over Flowers

Tiara: Now that Jan Di and Jun Pyo have admitted their feelings to each other, it’s time bring in their families. I still find Jun Pyo spending the day with Jan Di’s family a delight. He’s getting to experience all these new things that are very common for most everyday people. He’s giggly like a child being apart of a family for the first time. I like this new layer of Jun Pyo we’re getting to see. His want of a family after his parents neglected him and his noona.

Logan: Jun Pyo entering Jan Di’s world may not have been what he was expecting, but he sure doesn’t seem to mind so much. Like you said, Tiara, he’s never really experienced having a family so even though it’s messy and dirty and straight up weird in the Geum household, he can feel the warmth. Although I must say Jan Di’s family is a bit too much sometimes. Their shallowness does not make Jan Di’s intentions with Jun Pyo look very straight forward. Poor Jan Di often has to be the conscience of her whole family.

Tiara: I agree Logan about Jan Di’s parents. The money they spent on breakfast must have cost most of their food money for the week if not month. I get they want their daughter to not have to worry about money in the future, but Jun Pyo is a person not a bag of money. Unlike Jun Pyo’s mom who clearly thinks her son is only worth in dollars. I can’t evening beginning to express my dislike of Madam Kang. Why is the evil mom/dad/parents always used in dramaland? It’s a trope I could use with less.

Logan: I think the evil mother-in-law trope has decreased in frequency in more recent dramas. Jun Pyo’s mom, to me, is the quintessential evil mother-in-law. Right off the bat offering $300,000 for Jan Di to agree to never see him? That’s intense. You can see where Jun Pyo learned to throw spoiled tantrums. When she didn’t get her way, what did she do? She went after Jan Di’s family’s livelihood. She needs her own Jan Di to whip her into shape and to teach her to be a human being just like Jan Di did for Jun Pyo.

Tiara: I can think of two dramas from last year which used the evil parents trope: Marriage Contract and One More Happing Ending. Both had parents trying to buy off the lead’s girlfriend. It’s a trope dramaland is happy to bring out whenever it needs to separate their couples. I have to give it to Jan Di’s mom for pouring the salt on Madam Kang. It’s the first time we’ve seen her stand up for her daughter after being called nothing but a weed which needs to be pulled. You’re right Logan, she totally is having a tantrum and using dirty tricks to get her way. I get the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

Logan: It might be that I tend toward more unusual dramas or just ones that don’t use the evil mother-in-law trope because I can’t even remember the last drama I watched where that happened. Still, I completely agree that it’s one of the most irritating tropes. Almost as bad as is the bumbling idiot parent trope, which applies to Jan Di’s parents. For me it’s hard to say if Jan Di’s mom really was sticking up for Jan Di or not. She said it was because Jan Di would get more money if she married Jun Pyo. Jan Di’s mom could have been kidding, but I really believe she’s that shallow. We already see Jan Di taking the burden of them getting kicked out of the dry cleaners on herself and it makes me sad. Students shouldn’t have to take on that much responsibility.

Tiara: I do believe her parents are super shallow and bumbling idiots, but I do think there is a point their pride will not stand for things. Mom has to ask if Madam Kang is calling Jan Di a weed which I think is the last straw. Yes, Jan Di is taking responsibility for her parents by getting a crazy amount of jobs. However, this is the kind of girl Jan Di happens to be. She helps wherever she can and sticks up for people. It’s no difference when it comes to her family. Look at the double date with Ga Eul. She takes responsibility for Jun Pyo beating up Ga Eul’s date. Of course, we learn her date is a jerk and Jun Pyo was right.

Logan: You make a good point, Tiara, that is Jan Di’s personality to do whatever she can to help. Still, I feel bad-especially knowing that she’s going to take on even more responsibility herself as time goes on. I get where Jan Di is coming from in not wanting to share her sufferings with Jun Pyo, too. She know that money doesn’t solve everything and she doesn’t expect someone to come in and be her knight in shining armor, which he’d totally try to do all the time if he could. Interestingly enough, Ji Hoo always ends up finding Jan Di when she has these moments of frustration. And even though I always and forever will be #teamJunPyo, I’m remembering now why I ever felt second lead syndrome for Ji Hoo. It wasn’t because of how he acted in the beginning (unbelievably creepy). It’s because he’s being a genuinely good friend to both her and Jun Pyo now- and to everyone else for that matter. He’s done a lot of good over the last few episodes.

Tiara: Haha, the rest of BOF is all about how much can we make Jan Di suffer. It’s only going to get worst. It’s a hard reality the world Jan Di has to live in, but you’re right Logan. She doesn’t want to let Jun Pyo know because it’s an easy fix for him yet it doesn’t fix anything in end. Ji Hoo is still creepy. He has her gloves and hasn’t given them back. Not to mention, giving her hats and drinks. Actually, I really like this side of Ji Hoo. He’s so much better as the shoulder to lean on or in Yi Jung’s case his cupid. No, the jerk of the week is Yi Jung and his hot-n-cold jealously towards Ga Eul.

Logan: I think intentions makes a big difference on Ji Hoo’s part. He’s no longer trying to win a competition, he’s trying to be a good guy and that shows. While it’s hard to see Ga Eul heartbroken, it is nice to finally have some movement on the relationship between Ga Eul and Yi Jung since we all seem to be a fan of them. Ga Eul is just such a sweet girl that even the swoon-inducing Yi Jung becomes a jerk when he doesn’t treat her right. I get where he’s coming from in that he never expressed any interest toward her. He was trying to help her out. Also, I wonder if Ga Eul even realized she had really developed feelings for him. I think she went there thinking she just wanted to express gratitude and then figured out in the worst way she was just one of many women to him. Poor Ga Eul.

Tiara: No, you are right about Ji Hoo, Logan, but I still can’t get creepy version out of my head. He’s being a good friend to both Jan Di and Jun Pyo. I’m not so sure Yi Jung isn’t interested a bit about her. When Jun Pyo told the guys about the double date, he “half-jokingly” suggests he’ll go instead. My favorite part of this week’s episodes, Ji Hoo calling Ga Eul on Yi Jung’s phone. For a guy who doesn’t want to turn into his player of a dad, he’s doing a good job of being a mini version of him.

Logan: Another version of the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I guess. But the great thing about this generation of chaebols is that they recognize their faults and have opportunity to change and they’ve already begun to change even though we’re not even halfway through the drama. Jun Pyo is actually turning into a pretty decent human being. Him and Jan Di are absolutely adorable together. When they were ice skating together it was just the cutest thing and when he decorated the park with lights. Not to mention they’ve already kissed twice! When I first watched it I didn’t think that was a lot, but in Kdrama terms, that’s pretty serious.

Tiara: That’s because hand holding & piggy-back rides are like getting to 2nd base in dramaland. Those are sweet moments and I love seeing Jun Pyo slowly become a human with the time he spends with Jan Di. Yet, the telling moment is when he leaves his evil mom in the car to go kiss his girl who’s from a different world. It doesn’t matter to him if Jan Di is poor. He’s no longer looking at people’s worth by their backgrounds like he use too. It’s the reason I think he fell in love with Jan Di.

Logan: It is a struggle for Jun Pyo to adjust for sure, but even the things that he’s embarrassed by he’s learning are necessary for some people. And Jan Di certainly doesn’t care that he’s one of the richest people in existence (unlike her parents) so with neither caring about the other’s background they are on equal playing fields. By the way, I’m super glad that Jan Di got over her initial awkwardness/hesitation and is flat out calling Jun Pyo her boyfriend. It makes me happy. Maybe it’s because we don’t get to hear the term “boyfriend” in a Kdrama often. Because often the couple doesn’t end up together until near the end of the drama.

Tiara: Like Jun Pyo, Jan Di is also learning too. She didn’t believe Jun Pyo about Ga Eul’s date being a jerk. She made a judgement and assumed he was throwing a tantrum by hitting the guy. She didn’t put her trust in him. However, Jan Di did learn she was wrong and admitted it to Jun Pyo. They both are pretty stubborn and prideful at times, but I enjoyed her apology.

Logan: One thing I know for sure is this week must have been full of tropes, because I got a BINGO! Almost 2 bingos!

Tiara: I’m on a losing streak … I guess the drama gods are not in my favor.

Now that everyone's family is getting involved things are certain to continue to get more and more messy. I hope everyone has their tissues ready for the weeks ahead.